Introduction (with issues...)

[mattronic 1]

Hi Bimmersport.  I have probably been here several times before now, but looking for solutions for current issues, and with questions to ask, it was time to join up... I have owned my 2000 e39 540 Msport for almost 8 years now, so am well overdue joining you all here.  She has been pretty good to me, but as you all know things keep coming up... Photos from when I bought the car attached, nothing has really changed except for the tyres, and wear and tear of 2 kids and minor battles in parking spots over the years.  It was a bit of an impulse buy, I think if I had thought about it I never would have justified the V8 to myself!..and I would probably prefer a vanilla version now, but I do love driving it and the wheels aren't a bad touch...

I have always had an interest, and done minor work on my cars, but it gets a little scarier as the car gets more expensive and complicated, so for a while I haven't done much more than replace a few sensors etc leaving most of the work to the professionals. (alternator, water pump, is about it).  Lately however, now that the car isn't worth so much, and strangely I haven't had as much to spend on her, I have been getting a little more involved.  A rough idle has lead to replacement of the valve cover gaskets, all intake gaskets including the intake manifold, (I was prepared to do the valley pan while I was in there, but my mysterious coolant evaporation didn't seem to be leaking any where there so I left it), and most related vacuum hoses, new spark plugs, CCV...  I have also just replaced the radiator and (just out of interest) found I could do that without removing the fan having realised after starting I didn't have a big enough spanner to remove it.

She is generally running well now, although I would still expect a little bit more of a smooth idle from a german V8 with 133K on the clock.  I am aware that the vanos could do with an overhaul with the very distinct "diesel chatter" sound, so wonder if that has something to do with it...  However,  I have been trying to diagnose an occasional misfire on cylinders 2 & 3 (codes P1345 & P1347).  This/these codes (along with the engine light) are caused under high acceleration on occasion.  I had suspected a coil so bought a new one to replace the coil on the cylinder with the current code (cylinder 2 I think it was), only to find it move to the other cylinder (3), so after a bit more swapping coils around and getting repeats on the faults moving from one cylinder to the other over the last few months regardless of using the new or original coil, it doesn't seem to be related to the coil at all. Currently I have the original suspect coil on cylinder 4 but the code has stayed on cylinder 2.  Next idea is to check the injectors.  I did the fuel filter a few weeks back.  Any ideas on this would be appreciated.

But a bigger issue has arisen, and this is what brought me here.  Lately when in reverse it seems to slip, or not engage fully if I rev too high.  Generally I can still reverse fine, but too much power and I get a shudder, this I have noticed is worse if reversing up a hill.  So I have been digging the internet for information on the transmission.  I was planning to check the fluid level and change the fluid, but the question arose as to what fluid to use here in NZ, and whether I should be flushing it instead, and really is that the issue anyway?.  From what I have read a change is recommended rather than a flush, and I get the impression I should drop the pan and do the filter as part of the process.  This has most probably never been done (I have had the car since about 60K and I almost don't want to admit I haven't addressed the transmission fluid).

Reading a recent thread here yesterday trying to answer those questions, I am now wondering if another issue I had thought related to the misfire is actually related to the transmission and more specifically the torque converter.  I have what feels like a misfire when cruising at a constant speed I think mostly at around 1500-2000 rpm, only it is regular, and possibly not as pronounced, and definitely not on every revolution - more like every 2 seconds there is a slight drop in power almost like lightly touching on the brake.  This isn't noticeable or present when accelerating, and doesn't seem to be there all of the time.  Does any one have any ideas on this, and might this be related to the reversing issue?  Is changing the fluid a good first step, or am I looking a bigger things here?  For this issue I am happy to pay someone to diagnose/ investigate and even do the work if required so any professionals let me know what you think.

Thanks in advance, I hope this hasn't been too much information!

 

[TermiPeteNZ 1318]

Hey Matt - prob a good idea to post the issue description over in one of the troubleshooting threads .... and good luck with sorting the issues.

[mattronic 1]

Thanks Peter, yes, I have posted in another thread already, probably too much information for an introduction!... I think I have solved the miss fire, so just the slipping and glitch to sort out... for now...